Center-board for vessels



(No Model.)

A. L. SHEARS.

GENTBR BOARD FOR VESSELS. No, 352,490. Patented Nov.'9,-1.886.

F1 gjm I i I flZberTL-Sheazs. WITNESSES 7 VEJV'T OR r 7 I I I Q I .dttorney NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT L. SHEARS, OF ST. LOUIS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TO JOHN M. COMES, OF HIOKSVILLE, OHIO.

CENTER-BOARD FOR VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,490, dated November 9, 1886.

Application filed June 17. 1886. Serial No. 205,478. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. SHEARS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at St. Louis, in the county of Gratiot and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Center- Boards for Vessels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in center-boards for vessels, the object of the same being to provide a means whereby the angle of the center-board can' be varied with respect to the hull of the vessel as well as elevated or depressed.

In the accompanying drawings,which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a sectional view showing my improved center-board applied. Fig. 2 is a side View of the centerboard and well detached from the vessel, and Fig. 3 is a plan view.

A refers to the hull of the vessel, which is provided at a suitable point with a circular opening, a, through which the center-board passes. Adjacent to this circular opening a well, B,which is circular in cross-section is attached'to the inner side of the bottom and to the deck of the vessel, the lower portion of said well being provided with an outwardlyprojecting flange, b, by means of which it can be tightly secured to the bottom boards of the hull. This well, if desirable, can extend upwardly through the deck.

0 refers to an inner well,which is securely 4o journaled in any suitable manner to the outer well,B, so that it can be rotated therein. This inner well is provided at its upper and lower ends with heads d and c, said heads being provided with transverse slots f f, through which the center-board F will pass. The heads d and e are provided adjacent to this slot, through which the centerboard passes, with guiderollers g g, which are attached to the heads in any suitable manner, and the upper head, 6, is provided with supports and journals for a pinion, h, provided with a crank-handle, h,

the same in the position to which it may be adjusted. I v

. By means of the device hereinbefore described the center-board can be changed so as to occupy a position at an angle with the hull and at right angles with the leeway of the vessel, so as to prevent to a great extent leeway when the wing is on the quarter. This centerboard may also be changed to occupy a position parallel with the transverse line through the hull of the vessel,and when in such a position will act as a drag or brake, so as to prevent to a great extent forward movement of the vessel.

When the center-board is placed at an angle with thelongitudinal line through the vessel, the same, when the vessel is under sail, will prevent the keeling of the vessel to a great degree, the force of the water against the board,

when it is at an angle, tending to throw the vessel on its keel, in comparison to the force of the wind.

I I do not wish to limit myself to the precise construction shown in the drawings; but reserve the right to vary the appliances and means for rotating and vertically adjusting the board.

I claim 1. In combination with the hull of a vessel, a circular casing or well attached thereto, an inner cylinder, 0, attached to said well and journaled so as to rotate therein, said inner cylinder carrying a vertically-adjustable center-board, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a vessel, an outer cylindrical well, B, having an inner cylinder journaled thereto so as to rotate within thesame, a centenboard, F, attached to the inner cylinder and provided with a rack and pinion for vertically adjuststantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In combination with a center-board for vesse1s,the outer cylinder,B,provided at its upper edge with notches, an inner cylinder, 0, journaled within the outer cylinder so as to be capable of a rotary movement, said inner cylinder being provided with heads d and 6, with transverse slots f and guide-rollers g, a rack 20 attached to the center-board, a pinion with crank-handle attached to the upper head of the inner cylinder for adjusting vertically the center-board, and a dog, 3, for locking the cylinders against rotary movement, the parts be- 25 ing organized substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereofvl affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT L. SHEARS.

\Vitnesses:

WM. A. MoOMBER. J AMEs PADDOOK. 

